Thursday, April 22, 2010

I received a msg from FB last week. It was JC who asked if I'm free to meet up since my bday is coming. I was really touched. I mean, that's like 3 weeks before the actual day! The 1st gang to wanna meet me, with no hidden agenda, other than to spend time with me...

On Tues I got a msg from CM. She was trying to make arrangements for our meet-up and guess what? It materialized the very next day! I'm touched cos 2 mummies and a busy banker made time for me within such short notice... We usually take so long to arrange and many a times, some cannot turn up for various reasons. They decided to meet earlier cos JC if flying off to Taiwan tmr...

We went to a Jap restaurant for dinner: *TADA*

After buying raincoats (yes JC insists on getting them here even though there are going to be tons in Taiwan tmr when she flies over), we went to get a drink. Here's the cake:

They insisted that I eat more of it (which I didnt) since it was my "bday" cake. I told that it's not, COS I paid half for it lo... *hehehe*

Test shot which turned out quite nice:

A rather unwilling customer took this for us. But I LOVE THIS PICT!!!

Thanks gals! Even though you might never read this (although I did mention to you all about this blog some time back) and I had summarized my thoughts in an sms to you all yest...

Thanks for the many yrs of friendship we have had since 1997. Thanks for being my angels since JC to Uni to now. Always buying notes for me, reserving seats for me, lending me your tutorials, teaching me in subjects that I'm weaker at (I think I owe you all my As cert and my Uni degree) and for the loads of fun that we always have when we hang out. Yes many times I literally cry while laughing with you gals.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

If you want healthy, gorgeous hair, you must feed it with the right nutrients.

1. Dark green leafy vegetablesGorge on these leafy greens that are good for healthy hair because of their zinc, folate and vitamin B content.Spinach, broccoli and Swiss chard are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner. Dark green vegetables also provide iron and helps with hair growth and fortification.

3. Orange/yellow/red fruits and vegetables - carrots, tomatoes, mango, banana, jackfruit, oranges, pomegranateYellow-red fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron, so fruits such as oranges, guavas and lemons should be on your grocery list of foods that prevent hair loss.

4. Legumes and lentils (three times a week) - beans like mung, red bean, peas, chickpea and blackeyed peasYes, it's true.Legumes like kidney beans, dried beans and peas and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet.Not only do they provide plenty protein to promote hair growth, but also ample iron, zinc, and biotin.

5. Nuts and SeedsBrazil nuts are a great source of selenium, an important mineral for scalp health.Walnuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid and omega-3 fatty acids that condition the hair.Walnuts, cashews, almonds and pecans are high in zinc.Zinc deficiency may lead to hair shedding.

6. PoultryChicken and turkey contain high-quality protein that will give you the healthy hair you've always wanted.A lack of protein can lead to brittle hair, while a severe lack of protein can cause loss of hair colour.Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, which means that your body can easily reap its benefits.

7. EggsScrambled, fried, or poached, eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find.They also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important hair-beauty nutrients.

8. Low fat dairy products - skimmed milk, yogurt, cottage cheeseThese are great sources of calcium which is an important mineral that promotes hair growth.They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.They also make an excellent snack.

9. OystersOysters may be better known as an aphrodisiac, but they can give you healthy hair.The key to their hair-boosting abilities is zinc - a powerful antioxidant.If oysters don't make a regular appearance on your dinner plate, don't despair.In addition to getting it from whole grains and nuts, you can also get zinc from beef and lamb.

10. Salmon and fatty fishSalmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.This high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.Fish is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin B-6.

11. PotatoesIf you have a craving for burger and fries, your best bet is to cook the burger yourself and dice, season and bake some potato wedges (leaving the skin on).

12. Roast beefRoast beef is another source of vitamin B-6 and zinc.It's also a good source of protein.Vegans might consider taking soya beans instead for protein, and chickpeas for vitamin B6 and zinc.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who are trying to stay trim may want to make sure they get plenty of sleep.

In a study, researchers found that normal-weight young men ate a Big Mac's-worth of extra calories when they'd gotten four hours of sleep the night before compared to when they slept for eight hours.

Given the findings, and the fact that people have been sleeping less and getting fatter over the past few decades, "sleep restriction could be one of the environmental factors that contribute to the obesity epidemic," they write in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

A number of studies have linked shorter sleep duration with higher body mass index (BMI) -- a measure of weight in relation to height used to gauge whether someone is overweight or obese. But no experimental studies to date have actually looked at what happens to a normal-weight person's eating patterns when he or she sleeps less.

To investigate, Dr. Laurent Brondel of the European Center for Taste Sciences in Dijon, France, and colleagues looked at sleep, eating, and energy expenditure in 12 healthy young men across two 48-hour sessions.

Two days served as a control period, during which the study participants stuck to their normal routines but kept track of their sleep, eating and activities in a diary. During the second two-day period, the men went to bed at midnight and woke up at 8 a.m. on one day, and on the other day went to bed at 2 a.m. and woke up at 6 a.m. They were allowed to eat as much as they liked.

After the night of short sleep, the researchers found, the men took in 22 percent more calories, on average, than when they were allowed to sleep for eight hours. They ate more at breakfast and dinner, but not at lunch. The average calorie increase was about 560.

It's possible that people might eat more after a short sleep because mammals have evolved to store up calories in the summer, when nights are short and food is plentiful, Brondel and his colleague Dr. Damien Davenne of the University de Caen in Caen, France noted in an email to Reuters Health.

The findings make it clear that people need to do their best to get an adequate amount of sleep so their bodies can function properly, Brondel and Davenne add. "It is time to understand that sleep is not just losing time, besides the recovery processes that occur, there are many other functions (energy conservation, memory and so on) which are going on."

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Our meet-up had to remain a secret due to the unexpected number of failures we always had. Even this time round, we almost could not make it. Cyn always had to go to the warehouse last minute, and this time round I was almost stuck in the office indefinitely... It was certainly hilarious trying to arrange it, but I shall spare you the details here... =)

As a comparison, this was what we looked likt 3yrs ago, on one of the rare chances that we could meet up:

City Hall Starbucks (2007)

This was what we took this time round. The venue is to remain a secret so that no one can ever sabotage us... *hehehe*

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Quem sou eu

The girl's name is of Celtic origin.
Mythology: the name of a Celtic maiden in a Welsh tale, a Legendary Princess. In Celtic legend, Sabrina was the character who gave her name to the river Severn (in England).